I took shots of an old fence recently with my DSLR (digital single lens reflex camera) and my iPhone, and here are the results. This first image was shot with the DSLR:
Here’s the iPhone shot:
Interesting, huh? To be fair, they were taken on different days, and the sun was hitting the ivy in a nicer way when I used the iPhone. But I think I prefer the iPhone shot. If you’re just getting into photography, my advice is to not spend a lot of money on gear. Practice composition and lighting with a cheaper camera first. You can buy a better camera and lenses later.
Henri Cartier-Bresson, considered the father of photojournalism, used a Leica rangefinder and one lens, a 50mm, for almost all of his life’s work.
Pearls & Prose 
i have mixed feelings about these iPhones. I love photography and don’t use high-end gear by any means. But it drives me crazy that people who just point and shoot with their phone end up with such great shots. Its just too easy these days…. And then you have all the cool apps that create lomo effects and interesting frames and the list goes on and on….
Its cool to see a comparison side-by-side of camera vs iPhone. I have yet to break down and buy one, but I might think twice before upgrading my camera… 😉
Cool post!
Thanks. If someone had told me I would be posting photos taken with a camera phone a year ago, I would have laughed them out of the room. I was a nonbeliever for sure. But I have seen some incredible iPhone shots on flickr and blipfoto that made my mouth hang open. I don’t think iPhones will replace DSLRs, but I do believe point-and-shoots are in danger. You just can’t beat the ease and convenience.
For more “serious” photography, I’ll stick to the Nikon for now. But I will continue to use the iPhone, because I like experimenting and looking at things differently. For me, it’s fun to see what happens with a nontraditional method. I also like a challenge. 🙂
Le sigh. I need a new phone.
Before I got my iPhone, I was using the basic, FREE phone that comes with AT&T service. (I switched to my husband’s plan when we got married.) Talk about bare bones.
Carole, I like both for very different reasons. BUT the iPhone shot makes me want to pick up my brushes ane paint nto it … the tones are very ‘artsy’!
Cool! I hope to do that one day.
I always amazed what photos the iPhone makes… It does trigger someting in me as well, this photo, drawing or writing…
Thank you!
Would that we could all afford a Leica with a nice 50mm 1.4, eh?
They’re insanely expensive now, but back in the 30s when Cartier-Bresson bought his, they were actually affordable.
I will always prefer my DSLR but I love my iPhone. It takes wonderful photos and there are so many editing apps that you don’t even have to export it to do some really cool things with it. I actually prefer the first image for the quality but I like the lighting and composition better in the second.
Agreed on all counts. 🙂